


Burn like Venom

by PolarGrizz47



Category: The Technomancer (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dangerous Wildlife, M/M, Near Death Experiences, Sick Character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-02
Updated: 2018-01-02
Packaged: 2019-02-27 06:47:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13242759
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PolarGrizz47/pseuds/PolarGrizz47
Summary: When Zachariah is bitten by a wild creature, he falls ill and fevered. During which he finds himself haunted by an apparition of his past failures and feelings. But perhaps the ghost is more real than Zach could ever hope for.





	Burn like Venom

**Author's Note:**

> I fell in love with this game and I know this is probably a shot in the dark but if anyone reads I hope you enjoy it!

Standing outside of the grand, rusted gates to the Mutant City made Zachariah feel quite small. The news he’d just received made him feel even tinier, like a speck of dust on a certain Corporal's desk.

He just couldn’t believe it… Sean was dead. It didn’t sound right. Didn’t  _ feel _ right, but Zach had seen it in Scum’s eyes. The Mutant had not been lying. Sean had been killed during their uprising, and now here he stood, a friend of those who caused Sean’s death.

His stomach twisted and he rubbed at his eyes, telling himself that he would not cry. Not here. Not now. 

He forced himself to look up into the darkness of Mars’ night sky, even if the air around them still felt warm. The sand beneath his feet still burned like a dying ember, and he could not see the stars through the thick atmosphere. Suddenly, Zach felt like he needed to be in the company of his fellow Technomancers. To take the time to mourn the fallen, even if their time of brittle peace was quickly drawing to a close. 

Sean had always taught him that all life was precious and that they should honor their dead. 

“Zach?” Neisha asked, stepping closer to put a hand on his shoulder. “I am… sorry. I overheard what Scum said.” Her lips pulled into a soft frown, trying to remain optimistic. “I’m sure Sean would’ve been proud to see how far you’ve come.”

“Thanks,” Zach couldn’t bring himself to smile, but he offered a nod. “It means a lot, really. It's just… a lot to take in.”

Phobos nodded as if he personally understood, and hell, after what he’d been through, Zach was sure that his friend really knew how he felt. “We will always be here for you,” Phobos assured, his voice gentle and calming despite his terrifying size.

“Let’s head back to Noctis, report to Dandolo.” Zachariah moved towards Amelia’s precious machine with a purpose, barely kicking up the sand beneath his boots as he moved further from the Mutant Valley. However, he paused as he felt a peculiar… vibration shaking under his soles. The technomancer stilled completely, glancing back towards his companions as a low, vile sound reached their ears.

It was barely there. A raspy, rumbling hiss. Like the thundering sound of a waterfall but it steadily grew louder as the trembling increased. Instinctively, Zach reached for his staff with well-practiced ease, letting it lengthen as he adjusted his stance. 

Mutants by the gate seemed to become uneasy, shouting at them some sort of warning, but Zach was too far to hear them. His companions all paused, and everyone stared in complete awe as the sand seemed to rise up on its own, raining down above them as something disturbed its rest. 

“Sand viper!” A mutant shouted, rushing inside the gates with a wild howl. “Close the gates, the sick viper is back!”

Zach took a step back, watching as the creature of the night became known. It was tall and thick, but had a strange litheness about it, clearly it was a mutated relic from Earth. It’s long, sinuous body held up a large, diamond-shaped head. It opened its eyes with a blood curdling hiss - thick ropes of venom dripping from its curved fangs. Its eyes were a golden brown, slitted and intense as their pupils focused onto Zachariah.

He let his electricity consume his staff as he shouted an order to his companions. “Defend the front Gates! We will drive the creature back!”

-:-

His staff went flying across the sands, sticking into the ground as its blue lightning became extinguished outside of his grip. Amelia rolled onto her belly, staring at Zach and the creature with tired eyes. Her whole body ached, the creature was far too powerful, untamed and clearly in some sort of trance. From here, as she watched it try and shake Zachariah from its face, Amelia could see that it had discoloration on its scales, as if it was rotting from the inside. It was bloated in some areas, clearly the mutant had been right, the viper was ill.

She had only heard horror tales that the Merchant’s told from time to time about sand vipers. They were a deadly predator, efficiently brutal. Their venom was devastating in large amounts, though she had never seen an actual person get bitten. They acted like shadows in the sands, only striking when a meal would be assured. They left only bodies and a few patches of sand disturbed in their hunts, and truth be told, the beasts did not attack often. This one’s behavior was troubling. 

She groaned, pushing herself to her feet as she shouted, “Zach!”

The technomancer punched the beast fruitlessly in the head, barely holding onto the creature’s scales as he patted at his sheath for his dagger. A golden eye widened and the beast gave another gut-lurching hiss, loud and nearly deafening at this proximity before it began to thrash under his grip like a wild bull. He cursed, slipping somewhat as he lost his footing on the beast’s impressive scales. He kicked out to regain his stance, but it was already too late, the viper had seen something tangible to strike. 

The pain was intense, searing and deep as the viper snapped at his left leg, catching him in the thigh with a fang that nearly punctured his leg clean through. Zachariah felt himself scream without much thought, completely forgetting his blade as he gripped at his bloody thigh with one hand and another shout. The beast would not release him, even when he punched the thing right in its eye, feeling the orb sway under his fist. 

Such intense pain sent Zachariah into his own wild frenzy, a driven need to escape warred with the agony racing through his veins. 

The technomancer did what he could only respond with in such a scenario, clenching his teeth with a barely controlled scream as lightning danced across his flesh. He placed his electrified hands on the beast’s nose and eye, screaming right along with it as the viper finally opened its mouth to release him in a boiling hiss, rasping and nearly human enough to pass as a pained _wail_. 

He fell to the sand below motionlessly, completely drained from his near overload and experience. Darkness danced across his vision and the last thing he could clearly remember was the slithering, retreating form of the huge sand viper, followed by the airy shouts of his companions. 

-:-

Dandolo found himself pacing in his bejeweled palace as he listened to Scott explain the situation at hand. “This is not favorable… we need Mister Mancer more than he realizes… are you sure there is no way to break the fever?”

“I… am not sure. He is in bad shape,” The old doctor admitted, casting a glance towards Zachariah’s room, where a worried Melvin stood guard outside. “I have helped to heal the bite wound in his leg as best able, I think it should … might… hopefully heal without major limping… he is young, and a technomancer, they have… unique healing qualities. But this.. Fever. The sickness -- I believe the venom in the sand viper… I cannot make an antidote with his blood alone, unfortunately. I’d require… a sample of the actual venom from that viper. It's not a huge amount in his system, but it's... draining him little by little. Chipping him away. I fear he will only get sicker.” 

Dandolo rubbed at his chin, eyes narrowed with concentration. “It will be nearly impossible to hunt down that viper… If it even survived that night. This is not good. Perhaps … I will reach out to the merchants, try and find out if anyone saw the beast’s whereabouts. For now, we will wait with fingers crossed. Let us pray to the Shadow that Mister Mancer will not be overcome by the fever.” 

-:-

His shame and burdens knew no bounds, and he kept his head down, obscuring his features with a cloak as he sat among the merchant’s things in the sand sail. It had cost him an arm and a leg, but after his numerous failures… he had to get out of the city, away from the cooperations. 

Freedom - he’d always craved it, more than any cool drink of water.

Perhaps this wonderous city of Noctis could prove to be a safe haven unlike any other.

Hours of travel passed easily, and he entrained his boredom with naps and sightseeing, watching the strange wildlife pass by in a blur of colors and sounds. However, he did perk up when they arrived at the so-called fairy tale city, listening to the merchants exchange a few words with one of the many gatekeepers. 

“Prince Dandolo is looking for any information on a sand viper around the area… said it’s becoming too much of a risk, but they need it alive for an antivenom. Somebody higher up got bit. Got him really sick. Shaking, hallucinating, fevered out of his mind. Have you seen anything?” The keeper asked, peering into the sail with weathered features from too much sun.

He kept his mouth shut but listened closely as the merchants who took him in began to share a bit of information that he had not picked up on during their travels. “We saw a slim cave near here, looked like there might’ve been viper activity. Must’ve been an old one. There were pounds of sand all fussed up, dead ostriches around the area, messy work. Don’t think this viper is well.”

The keeper thanked them and let the caravan through. Curious, those gray eyes narrowed behind the shade of his hood. Soon, the man found himself wandering a rather impressive city. It was alive, more than Ophir had ever been, music flowed in the streets and mutants walked freely, traders and artists mingled like dancers. 

For a hour, he wandered, got a feel of the area. Walked through the dust and up metal platforms, only pausing when he saw a troublingly familiar man. Scott Seeker, talking with several people he did not immediately recognize. 

Why would Scott be here? The man loved his simple life in Ophir, well -- he was comfortable nonetheless. It would’ve taken something, or  _ someone _ of great importance to uproot him…

It had to have been Zach. The old scientist cared deeply for Zach, had even threatened him during one of the training that if he ever hurt a hair on his boy's head…

Yes, only Zachariah would get Scott to leave his shell.

His heart leaped at the thought.

He found himself walking closer without even realizing he was doing so, drawn into the prospect of seeing the boy again. The fear of his sensitive identity be damned, he was going to question Seeker.

Sean reached up to pull his hood down as he approached, watching as Scott stared at him with wide, confused eyes. “It… It cannot be. Scum said you were killed…”

“The mutant? Ah, yes. I asked him to keep our workings together a secret… for  _ safety _ ,” He bowed his head, struggling to remain so formal when - if - Zach was so near. “I… was hoping Zachariah would be with you. I must admit, I had not expected to see you again -”

“Zach -- oh he is… he is very unwell.” Scott admitted, looking between his friends with tired, worried eyes.

Sean felt his gut sink.

-:-

Time was fluid to him. Zach wasn’t sure how much he’d lost every time he opened his eyes. Seconds and hours had little meaning to his feverish body. 

Hunger gnawed at him with prickly fangs, but anything he tried to stomach, other than water, caused his body to rebel. He found his limbs trembling, sweaty with fever as if he was boiling from the inside. Attempts to kick off his covers proved fruitless, for they’d always be replaced, much to the technomancer’s irk. 

His dreams were fitful and strange, memories mixing like already dried paint with his current circumstances. Patchy and phantomlike. He found himself having nightmares of Sean getting beaten to death by wild, scared mutants. Zach wanted to scream, but his voice was so weak, and his tears were mixed with his own sweat.

He felt like he was dying -- he felt he should’ve  _ already _ died. Sean would know what to do here, he could lead these people… but now it was all him. And Zach had never felt so alone. 

Deep down, he cursed his initiation to a true Technomancer. Maybe if that had been postponed, things would’ve been easier…

Pale blue eyes struggled to open as he coughed and moaned, feeling his fingers tremble while his leg aches with a throbbing pain that echoed from his thigh outwards. He turned his head to the side, glancing at the cracked door with a whine, pleading for aid. 

Why wasn’t he getting better? 

He _should_ be getter better - not wallowing in his feverish nightmares. Wasn't Scott helping him? Shouldn't his own body clear out the sickness that had plagued him? Is this his punishment --

All of Zach’s thoughts came crashing to a halt as the familiar phantom of his old Master crept through the door, opening it quietly with a worried look gleaming in his sincere gray eyes. Zach's mouth grew dry, and he struggled to keep himself from falling apart and crying right on the spot.

His subconscious was clearly intent on digging his wounds, hoping to infect Zach’s hope with _failure_. The technomancer found himself reaching forwards with shaking fingertips, hoping to touch Sean as an apology bubbled on his lips, only to be overruled by a thick cough. His eyes grew heavy again, darkness whispering to him as it pulled his mind in deep.

He needed the sleep, needed the healing properties that a good rest could give him.

Zach’s hand fell as he slipped into his dreams, and for a second, he clung to the foolish hope that the ghostlike apparition of his dear friend had reached out to catch his hand.

-:-

“Oh, Zach,” Sean sighed, finding himself crouched by the bed with the younger technomancer’s hand clutched in his own grip. He smoothed his fingertips over the tanned, scarred knuckles of the sick man laid up in bed. “You are too reckless…”

His eyes flickered to the technomancer’s face when Zach moaned in pain, body shifting in his sleep as if he was trying to escape his own mind. Still keeping Zach’s hand in one of his own, Sean reached forwards to smooth his steady fingertips across the other’s sweaty brow. It seemed to pacify Zach, even if only somewhat, and Sean sighed deeply. 

“I will fix this,” He whispered, finding himself speaking both truths to himself and to the young man in his company. “I swear to you.”

Despite himself, Sean could not keep from brushing his lips against Zach’s knuckles, as if gently kissing some sort of forbidden fruit. Back in Ophir, technomancer relationships that wouldn’t create future soldiers were strictly prohibited. 

Perhaps this new life would prove promising… if only they could escape the chains of their past. And to do that meant getting revenge on the man who had gotten too greedy, too corrupt.

For Viktor Watcher, Sean would consider making an _exception_ to the sanctity of life guideline that he had held so dear...

But for now, Sean had a new objective. 

He’d never fancy himself a hunter, but for Zachariah, he would become the best damn one that ever walked Mars.

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't written in forever but this game might've given me some inspo to try and wrangle into something.... kinda decent. Sean and Zachariah are a rare pair sadly, but I find their relationship to be painful. Oh, how I wish it would've ended differently!  
> Well, that's what fanfic is for, right?  
> Please let me know what you think, feedback is greatly appreciated! I hope to have the final chapter up soon.
> 
> Also, here is my Zach, the one I will be writing.   
> https://78.media.tumblr.com/3d181f0282823df0f930d4cfb0d84c72/tumblr_p1x7tbEnQ01ruk08eo6_1280.jpg


End file.
